Machine



(No Medal.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

-- E.- LIPPITT & E. J. POPE.

BUTTON MAKING MACHINE.

No. 548,564. Patented Oct. 22, 1895.

NVENTORS' E- LIP/777 & 5L1. POPE.

ATTORNEYS ANDREW a GRAHAMFNOIO-WHO.WASNINGIGN.D c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. LIPPITT 8: E; J. POPE.

BUTTON MAKING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 22,1895.

\Q 2 Z \E H s a H $2 .qmpfi {NI/f/VTORS 5.1. lPP/T'T a By E. 1/. POPE.

ATTOHIVUS (No Model.) 3 Sheets- -Sheet s.

E. LIPPITT & 'E. J. POPE. 4

BUTTON MAKING MACHINE.

No. 548,564. Patented Oct. v22, 1896.

Inven or z /mzw Attorneys ANDHZW B GRANAMJNOTO'UMQWASHINETUILD C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIHU LIPPITT AND EDWARD J. POPE, OF EAU CLAIRE, W'ISCONSIN; SAID LIPPITT ASSIGNOR OF HIS INTEREST AND SAID POPE ASSIGNOR OF A PART OF HIS INTEREST TO THE BADGER PEARL BUTTONCOMPANY, OF

SAME PLACE.

BUTTON-MAKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,564, dated October 22, 1895.

Application filed January 26, 1893. Serial No. 45 9,370- (No model.)

M whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ELIHU LIPPITT and EDWARD J. POPE, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Eau Claire, in the county of Eau 5 Claire and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button-Making Machines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will IO enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to button-making machines of the class illustrated and described in the application of Elihu Lippitt, filed Septcmber 13, 1892, Serial N 0. 445,805, of which the machine forming the subject-matter of this application is an improvement.

The object of the present invention is to provide a compact and automatically-oper- 2o ated machine adapted to finish button-blanks.

. Vith these ends in view our invention consists in-the combination, with a fixed or stationary tool or implement carrier, of an intermittingly revolving head arranged below the tools orimplements, a series of independentlymovable blan k-holding chucks carried by said revolving head, and means for automatically moving said head and the chucks carried thereby vertically as said chucks are success- 0 ively brought into position by the revolving of the head to permit the blanks carried thereby to be operated upon by the tools in the stationary carrier.

Our invention further consists in means 5 whereby the blank-holding chucks will be revolved while in alignment with certain of the tools and implements and at rest while being operated on by the other implements.

Our invention still further consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

We have illustrated our-improvements in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a button-making machine constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the machine, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view at right angles to the plane of Fig. 3 and on the plane indicated by the dotted line a; a of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow m. Figs. 6

and 7 are detail enlarged views of the adjustable tightenenpulley, Fig. 6 being an elevation of the pulley and its adjusting means, and Fig. 7 being a section on the plane indicated by the dotted line y y of Fig. 6.

Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings, referring to which- A designates'a suitable supporting-frame, to which is firmly united a stationary implement-carrier A. To the frame A or carrier A is firmly attached a depending frame or yoke A In a. suitable bearing formed in the lower transverse or cross bar of the supporting-yoke A is stepped the lower end of a vertical shaft B, and a head B is rigidly attached to or formed integral with said vertical shaft. The said head B preferably extends up within a depending annular flange a of the implement-carrying head A, and in suitable bearings formed in said head B are fitted a series of blank-holding chucks O. The heads of the chucks C are preferably of greater diameter than the body thereof, so as to extend or project slightly over the upper surface of the head B, as shown in Fig. 3, and the spindles of said chucks extend down through said head B and a parallel plate B rigidly attached to or formed integral with the vertical shaft B.

On the spindles of the'chncks O, between the plate B and head B, are secured drivingpulleys C bywhich said chucks can be independently rotated by mechanism to be hereinafter described. O are made tubular, and therethrough extend pusher-rods O, designed to operate the jaws of the chuck, which jaws may be of any desired style. On the rods O, between the plate B and nuts secured on said rods, are fitted coiled pressure-springs c, which serve to return the rods to their lowermost position after they have been moved vertically, by means to be hereinafter described, to open the jaws of The spindles of the chucks ing studs F, on which are mounted frictionrollers F The f riction-rollers F bear closely against the upper cam-surfaces of plates G, at tached to and carried by a master gear G, which is fitted loosely around the shaft B and has its hub resting on the upper surface of the lower cross-bar of the supporting-yoke A This master-gear, its cam-surfaces, and the friction-rollers on the depending stem of the head B constitute the driving mechanism by which a vertical reciprocating motion is imparted to the chuck-carrying head and an axial rotation or step-by-step progressive feed is given to the head, the upward reciprocat: ing movement of the head being for the purpose of bringing the chucks and the work therein in proper close relation to the tools in the implement-carrier, andthe lowering of the head, chucks, and work away from the tools taking place before the axial step-by-step feed is given to the head and chucks, so that the feeding of the head takes place while the chucks and work are lowered to avoid contact with the tools, this step-by-step feed of the head and chucks being for the purpose of bringing the work successively beneath the circular range of cutting and drilling tools in the implement-carrier A. The master-gear G is rotated by the intermeshing worm-gear presently described, and as the head drops by gravity after having been released from locking engagement with the lockingmechanism the friction-rollers F dropinto the recesses in the cam-surfaces on the plates G, where the weight of the head holds these rollers, so that the head will rotate-with the master-gear until the friction-rollers F ascend the inclined cam-surfaces. As the shaft 13 and head B revolve they are also movedvertically by reason of the cam-surfaces of the plates G, and as the rollers F reach the ends of the cam-plates, of which there are two, as shown in Fig; 2, the shaft B and head B are returned to their normal positions, thelifting of the head and chucks being effected positively by the cam-surfaces and the frictionrollers of the driving mechanism.

As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the camsurfaces of the plates G are quite sharp or steep for a short distance, as at g, and from the end of such rise to the end of the plate G the ascent is very slight and gradual, so that the shaft B and head B are first lifted or raised quickly and during the balance of the movement of the roller F on the camsurfaces of the plates G the shaft B and head B are raised slowly, the button-blanks being in contact with the tools, and the parts being in substantially the positions shown in Fig. 3, and as the rollers F reach the depressions in plates G they drop into the lowestrpart, and as the head B is unlocked the shaft'B tion.

and head B are revolved one step. The shaft B and head B will thus be intermittingly revolved, so as to bring the chucks 0, carried thereby, successively in line with thetools or implements carried by the holder A.

The head B is provided on its exterior surface with a series of notches conforming in number and relative position with the blankholding chucks O in said head, and on a depending arm D, attached to the supportingframe A of the machine, is fulcrumed a bellcrank lever D, the upper arm of which is provided with a projecting nose d, adapted to enter one of the notches formed in the head B as saidnotch, comes in line therewith and hold the chuck-carrying head against rota- The horizontal arm of the bell-crank lever D is connected by a link d with a lever E, which is fulcrumed on the depending arm D, andto the forward end of which is pivotally connected a short vertical trip-finger or bar E. The bar or trip-finger E is preferably connected to the outer free end of the horizontal lever'E by means of a screw E, which extends through a suitable aperture formed in the trip-fi nger E and into a socket in the lever E. The aperture or passage in the trip-finger E through which the pivotscrew E extends is preferably made somewhat larger than the diameter of said pivotscrew, so that the trip-finger E is capable of a limited downward and forward movement; but said trip-finger is maintained in its upright position at right angles to thelength of the lever E by means of a short coiled spring 6, fitted around the pivot-screw E and having one end attached to said screw and the other end attached to the trip-finger E. The bell-crank lever D and horizontal lever E are further connected by a spring D The trip-finger E is arranged directly in the path of the vertically-reciprocating head B, as shown by Fig. 3 of the drawings, and the manner of supporting the trip-finger E serves as a knuckle-joint to permit the finger to yield or give to the head B when it drops by gravity, as indicated by Fig. 5 of the drawings. As the head B drops by gravity it strikes or impinges against the upper end of the vertical trip-finger E, which thus yields or gives to the head B and operates the locking-lever to release it from looking engagement with the head, whereby the latter is permitted to rotate a short distance, and the trip-finger being mounted on the spring-pressed knucklejoint moves with the head to the inclined position shown-by Fig. 5, after which the head B, the chucks, and the work are positivelylifted by the feed mechanism into close relation to the tools, the lockinglever engages with the head to hold it in fixed relation to the tools, and the trip-finger is returned by its spring to the-normal vertical position in the path of the head shown by Fig. 3.

The stationary tool or implement carrying head A is provided with a series of verti cally-adjustable holders vH, adapted to sup- ICC port tools or implements 11', designed and adapted to trim and finish a button-blank, and with a series of vertically-adj ustable drillholders K, each adapted to support a revoluhle drill-spindle K, which carries adrill de signed to form an aperture in the button. The holders H are preferably arranged in a group at one side of an aperture or opening formed in the holder A, through which unfinished blanks can be inserted in the blankholding chucks and finished buttons removed therefrom, and the drill-holders K are arranged in a group at the other side of said opening. The holders H K are preferably provided with external screw-threads and are screwed into suitable internally-threaded passages formed in the carrier A, and said holders are held at any desired elevation and in fixed relation to the rotating chucks and the work therein by means of nuts H K respectively.

To the upper ends of the drill-spindles K are attached driving-pulleys L, and, as shown in Fig. 2, said spindles K are made of different lengths, so that the pulleys L thereon lie in different horizontal planes and are adapted to be connected with a driving-pulley M, attached to the upper end of a vertical shaft M by independent driving-belts.

On the shaft M, between the plate 13 and chuck-carrying head B, is secured a pulley or drum N, and diametrically opposite said pulley N, in bearings formed in the carrier A or frame A and yoke A is journaled an idler or loose pulley N. The pulleys N N are connected by a belt or endless band 0. The band or belt contacts with a portion of the pulleys C on the spindle of the chucks G, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, and operates to revolve said pulleys and chucks.

The pulleys which contact with the drivingbelt 0 are in line with the tools or implements carried by the holders H, so that by the revolving of the chucks the blanks carried thereby will be operated upon and trimmed and finished by said tools. The chucks which are in alignment with the drills carried by the holders K are stationary by reason of their driving-pulleys 0 being out of contact with the drivingbelt 0, so thatthe drills are rotated to form holes in the buttons while the latter are at rest.

The driving-belt 0 passes around a tensionpulley P, which can be adjusted so as to take up any slack in the belt. As shown by Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings, the adjustable ten sion-pulley has its shaft 29 journaled in a yoke 19, one arm of which is fitted to slide in a guideway or groove 19 formed in a bracket P, the latter being provided with a threaded bearing in an arm 19 In this threaded hearing operates an adjusting-screw P which has one end swiveled to thesliding yoke, as at 10 and the other end of said screw has a handwheel by which the screw can be conveu iently turned to move the sliding yoke and the tightening-pulley.

On the'shaft M, near the lower end thereof, is mounted a bevel-pinion Q, which meshes with a bevel-gear Q, carried at one end of a driving-shaft R, which is journaled in hangers R, attached to the yoke A On the other end of the shaft R is secured a driving-pulley B, designed to be connected with the bandwheel of an engine or other source of power to furnish the necessary force to operate the machine. On the main drivingshaft R is also secured a worm S, which meshes with a worm-wheel S, secured on the lower end of a vertical shaft T, which is journaled in suitable bearings carried by the yoke A and on which shaft is mounted a pinion T, which meshes with the master-gear G.

To 2. depending arm or hanger U, attached to the yoke A in line with the opening in the implement carrier A through which the blanks are introduced into the chucks C, is fulcrumed a lever V, and from the upper side of said lever,near the outer free end thereof, extends a post V, provided with an enlarged head designed to contact with the lower ends of the pusher-rods carried by the chucks O as they are successively brought into line therewith and force said rods upwardly to open the jaws of the chuck and permit the finished button carried thereby to be removed and a new blank placed in position.

The lever V is connected with the plate B by means of a link or bar W", which is attached at its lower end to said lever and is provided in one face with a notch 20, in which the edge or rim of the plate 13 fits.

The operation of our improved machine is as follows: As shown in the drawings, one of the blank-holding chucks G isin line with the opening in the implement-carrier A, and the lower end of the vertically-movable pusherrod of said chuck rests on the post V,so that the jaws of the chuck are open and a blank can be placed therein. When the parts are in this position, the chuckcarrying head 13 is held stationary by reason of the forward end of the bell-crank lever D taking into one of the notches formed in the periphery of said head. As the main driving-shaft E revolves, the vertical drill and chuck driving shaft M and master-gear G are driven so as to be rotated simultaneously. .As the master-gear and cam-plates G attached thereto are rotated the friction-rollers F rotate on their spindles, and as said rollers clear the upper ends of said cam-plates the shaft B and chuckcarrying head B descend or fall untilthe said rollers F contact with the cam-plates G at the lower ends thereof. In its downward movement the plate B strikes the upper end of the finger E and forces said finger and lever E downwardly, thus freeing. the bell-crank lever D from the head 15' and allowing said head and its attached shaft B to rotate one step, or until another notch in said head B comes in line with the bell-crank lever D, and the spring D -forces the forward end of said lever into the notch in the head B and holds the same stationary. As the head B is rotated the blank which was placed in the chuck originally in line with the opening in the implement-carrier A is brought in line with the first of the series of tools carried by the carrier A. The pulley C of said chuck O is thus brought into contact with and revolved by the band 0. The blank-holding chuck is thus revolved, and the blank carried thereby being pressed against the tool or implement arranged directly above said chuck is cut or trimmed to the desired size. As the chuck-carrying plate B is intermittingly revolved in the manner hereinbefore described the chucks C are successively brought in line with the opening in the implement-carrying head A to receive an unfinished blank, and such blanks are successively presented to the action of the implements or tools fitted in the holders H. As the chuck-carrying head is rotated and the chuck-spindles thereby successively brought to such positions that the driving-belt 0 does not contact with the pulleys on certain of the chuck-spindles it is evident that these spindles not acted on by the driving-belt 0 will not rotate, and thus the blanks in the chucks which are now stationary are successively brought in line with the drills carried by the spindles K, any desired number of which can be provided with drills, according to the number of perforations it is desired to make in the button, and said drills are rapidly revolved by being belted to the pulley M on the shaft M, and each operates to form an opening in the blank as it is brought in position thereunder.

By reference to the drawings it will be seen that the pulleys of the chucks which are in line with the drill-spindles K are out of contact with the band 0, so that the apertures are formed in the blanks while the chucks are at rest, and that while the blank is being formed and finished its supporting-chuck is being revolved by the band 0, so that the blank will be uniformly and regularly finished.

As each of the chucks comes in line with the opening in the implement-carrier A after a complete revolution of the chuck-carrying plate B and said plate islifted by the action of the cams G the post V, carried by the lever V, which is connected with the plate 13' by the link XV, moves the pusher-rod O of said chuck vertically to open the jaws of said chuck, permitting the finished button to be removed therefrom and an unfinished blank placed in position.

It will thus be seen that we have provided a compact and automatically-operated machine adapted at each revolution to form and finish a button. The only work that is not automatically done is the removing of the finished button from and the placing of the blank in the chuck which is in line with the opening in the carrier-head.

No claim is made in this application to any particularform of jaws for holding the blanks in position in the chucks.

We are aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and details of construction of the devices herein shown and described as an embodiment of our invention may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof, and we therefore reserve the right to make such. changes and alterations as fairly fall within the scope of our invention. For example, instead of having the tools stationary and revolving the chucks, the chucks can be held firmly in position when in line with the tools and the latter revolved by suitable means to form and finish the blank.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure b Letters Patent,.is

1. In a button making machine, the combination with a series of tools, of a verticallymovable head carrying a series of chucks, a

feed mechanism embodying coacting inclines and projections which lift and turn the head with a step by step feed and permit it to drop by gravity, and an automatically tripped locking device situated in the path of the head to release the latter as it is lowered and holding the head by a fixed locking engagement in rigid relation to the tools when the head and chucks are raised close to said tools, sub stantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In a machine for making buttons, the combination with a series of tools, of a vertically-movable head carrying a series of chucks, a feed mechanism loose on the shaft or stem of said head and coacting therewith through a cam movement to impart positive lifting movement to said head at certain intervals and axial rotation as the head is lowered away from the tools, and a locking mechanism engaging with the head to hold it in fixed relation to the tools as the head is forced into close relation to said tools, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a machine for making buttons, the combination with a series of tools, of a vertically-movable gravity head carrying a series of chucks, and having its stem provided with friction rollers, a feed gear loose on the shaft and provided with cams on which rest the friction rollers of said gravity head, and a locking contrivance for holding the head in fixed relation to the tools as the head is raised and lying in the path of said head to be re leased therefrom when the head is lowered away from the tools, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. In a machine for making buttons, the combination with a series of tools, a gravity head carrying a series of chucks, and a feed mechanism for said head, of a locking device having a lever to engage with the head and a yielding trip connected with said lever and arranged in the path of the head to be operated thereby as it descends and release the lever from looking engagement with the head, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for making buttons, the combination with the tools,and a gravity head carrying chucks, of a feed mechanism for said head, and a spring controlled locking lever which interlocks positively with the head at stated intervals, and a yielding trip normally in the path of the head to be moved by the head as'it descends and connected with said locking lever to release the latter from the head as it descends, said locking lever being automatically forced into fixed engagement with the head as it is brought into close relation to the tools, substantially as described.

6. The combination with an annular fixed support, and a head carrying a series of chucks, of a drill driving shaft, a series of spindles supportedin the annular support by bearings which are in fixed relation to the drill driving shaft, belt connections between the series of spindles and said shaft, a series of tools fixed in the annular support, a feed mechanism substantially as described for imparting endwise movement and a progressive axial movement to said head, and a spring controlled locking mechanism adapted to be tripped by the head as it is lowered and engaging with said head when raised to hold it in fixed relation to the tools and spindles, as and for the purposes described.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination, of a stationary implement carrier, a shaft B, provided at one end with a head, B, a series of blank holding chucks carried by said head, a collar fitted on the shaft and provided at diametrically opposite points with laterally projecting studs, friction rollers, F secured on said studs, a master gear fitted loosely around the shaft, B, cams carried by said master gear and bearing against the friction rollers, F and mechanism for rotating the master gear,substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination, of a stationary implement carrier, a vertical shaft, B, provided at one end with a peripherally notched head, B,a series of blank holding chucks carried by said head, mechanism for intermittingly revolving said head to bring the chucks successively in line with the implements carried by the stationary carrier, and to positively lift the head and chucks into close relation to the implement; and a bell crank lever adapted to take into one of the peripheral notches in the chuck carrying head and hold the same stationary as the chucks come in line with the implements, and a trip finger connected with the bell crank lever to release the latter as the chuck carrying head descends, substantially as described. A

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a stationary implement carrier, a longitudinally movable shaft provided with a head, B, and a plate B a series of blank holding chucks carried by said head,

mechanism for intermittingly revolving the head, B, to bring the chucks successively in line with the implements supported by the stationary carrier, 2. bell crank lever fulcruined at one side of the head, B, and adapted to engage with, and hold, said head stationary when the chucks are in line with the implements in the stationary carrier, a lever, E, fulcrumed at one side of the head, B, and connected with one arm of the bell crank lever, and a finger or bar, E, carried by said lever, E, and extending into the path of the plate, B on the shaft B, of the chuck carrying head, B, substantially as and for the purpose described.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination of an implement carrier provided with a series of stationary implement holders and a series of rotatable implement holders, the stems or spindles of said latter holders being provided with driving pulleys, a rotatable head, a series of blank holding chucks carried by said head, pulleys, 0 secured on'the spindles of the chucks, a shaft M, belts connecting said shaft with the pulleys on the rotatable implements, a belt, 0, driven by the shaft, M, and contacting with the pulleys, C of the chucks that are in line with the stationary implements, mechanism for revolving the shaft, M, and mechanism for intermittingly revolving the head, B, to bring the blank holding chucks successively in line with the implements, substantially as described.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a stationary implement carrier having an opening in the side, a rotatable head, B, a series of blank holdingchucks carried by said head, pusher rods extending centrally through said chucks, mechanism for intermittingly revolving the head to bring the chucks successively-in line with the implements and the opening in the stationary implement carrier, mechanism for holding the head, B, stationary, when the chucks are in line with the implements, and means for elevating the pusher rod of the chuck which is in line with the opening in the stationary implement carrier, substantially as described.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination, of a stationary implement carrier, a yoke, A depending from said carrier, a shaft, B, stepped in a bearing in the yoke and provided at its upper end with a head, B, a locking device for said head a series of blank holding chucks carried by said head, a master gear fitted loosely around the shaft, B, and supporting cam plates, a collar secured on the shaft, B, and provided with laterally projecting studs, friction rollers fitted on said studs and bearing against the cam plates carried by the master gear, a main driving shaft, and gearing connecting said shaft and master gear, substantially as described.

13. In a machine of the character described,

r the combination of a stationary implement carrier provided with a'series of immovable tool holders and a series of rotatable implement holders, driving pulleys secured on the rotatable holders, a shaft, B, supporting a head, B, a series of blank holding chucks carriedby said head, a plate 13 secured on the shaft, B, below the head, B, a collar secured on the shaft, B, below the plate, B and provided with laterally projecting studs, friction rollers fitted on said studs and bearing against cam plates on a master gear fitted loosely around the shaft, 'B,amain driving shaft, R,

gearing connecting said shaft with the master gear, a vertical shaft, M, geared to the main I shaft, R, and provided with pulleys,M, N,

belts connecting the pulley, M, with'the pulleys on the rotatable tool holders, an idler pulley arrangedon the opposite side of thehead,

B, from the shaft, l. and a band, 0, passing around said pulley, and the pulley N, and contacting with the pulleys of the'chucks inline with the stationary tool holders, substantially as described.

14. In a button making machine, the combination of a reciprocating and rotating head, a'series of chucks having their spindles journaled in said head and provided with driving pulleys, a driving shaft and belt connections for rotating certain of the chuck-spindles, a

fixed implement carrier orsupport normally in line with saidhead, an independent drilldriving shaft, a series of drill spindles journaled in bearings of theimplement carrier which are alwaysinfixed relation to the driving shaft for said spindles, belts between said independent driving shaft and the drill spindies, aseries of tool holders also fitted in the implement carrier, a feed mechanism for the head, and a locking device connected with the head, substantially as described.

" In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ELIHU LIPPIT'P.

EDWARD J; POPE.

Witnesses:

O. W. E. SOMMERMEYER, FREDERICK M. MUIER. 

